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Caterham hires Renault’s Abiteboul to be CEO

Heikki Kovalainen drives the Caterham CT01 Renault in the Italian Grand Prix. Recently, Caterham hired Cyril Abiteboul to be the CEO of their Formula One team. Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

Cyril Abiteboul, Renault Sport deputy managing director, has been appointed as CEO of the Caterham F1 team.

The team says that the Frenchman will be “responsible for all the team’s on- and off-track operations and reporting to both Caterham Group CEO Riad Asmat and chairman Tony Fernandes.”

Unusually, Abiteboul will combine his Renault and Caterham duties until January in order to finish off some projects.

Fernandes said: “As CEO, he will lead our F1 operation and will work closely with Riad, who can now turn his full attention to the continuing growth of the wider Caterham Group, which is already active in the automotive, aerospace and marine industries. Cyril will also strengthen the excellent relationship that we have with Renault, particularly as we work towards the introduction of the new engine regulations in 2014 when engines will play an even greater role in overall car performance.”

“The vision, enthusiasm and appetite of the shareholders and the whole team will be very precious strengths to help us tackle the many challenges we have ahead, as we continue to develop the F1 platform and hopefully make our way up through the grid,” said Abiteboul.

“The multicultural character of the group of people in the team—together with the business and industrial project that the F1 activity serves under the Caterham Group umbrella—made it an obvious choice for me after 11 great years with Renault to whom I can never be thankful enough for all I have been able to learn and experience throughout my time with them.”